


Home (Discontinued)

by juniper_r



Category: SKAM (France)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Homeless, Canon Gay Relationship, Falling In Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 08:12:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17825105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juniper_r/pseuds/juniper_r
Summary: In which Lucas needs a place to call home and Eliott is too lonely for his own good.—“Hey,” Eliott began after noticing Lucas’ distant expression, “are you okay?”The shorter of the two sighed and glimpsed at Eliott, shaking his head. “I just got.. I left my apartment. Permanently.” He cringed at his own choice of words.“And?”“And what?” Lucas snapped.“Do you have a place to stay or not?”





	1. Chapter 1

“Just get the fuck out, Lucas!"  
"And go where? The streets? You know I can't go back to my dad's place anymore-"  
"Anywhere! Okay? Anywhere but here." Jackson spitted as he slammed his fists against their wooden table, effectively silencing his now ex-boyfriend. 

"Why?" Lucas hated the way his voice cracked as he croaked out the words. He couldn't help the way his hands trembled at his sides and his diamond eyes glimmered with tears, he didn't want to be alone. 

Jackson fumed with anger, his breaths coming out short, loud and harsh. He reminded Lucas of a firecracker, set to explode from the slightest of agitation. Jackson didn't respond to his question, deciding instead to stalk away to their - and now only his - room and slam the door behind him. The faint click of the door lock was barely audible, yet managed to echo louder than any of Jackson's words through the apartment. 

Lucas was stunned. He was numb, he ached, and he felt the lingering burn of frustration in the back of his throat while his heart continued to race a mile a minute. Taking no time to collect himself, he turned on his heel and left the apartment without a word.

He walked quickly down the sidewalk and crossed the street, watching as the streetlights blurred from the tears swimming in his eyes and obstructing his vision. He stifled a cry, resuming his unplanned journey through the city of Paris. 

Lucas was scared, well, terrified, when he sat down inside of an empty cafe and finally contemplated his situation. He was homeless, and that was putting it kindly considering "homeless" implied he had a proper home in the first place. Jackson's apartment might have been a house, a roof over his head, but it was no home. Scattered broken beer bottles, cracked windows and a filthy yellow mattress were nowhere near where or what a home should be. Yet Lucas preferred that life than a life on the streets, as would anyone, he thought.

The seat he had chosen in the small shop was towards the corner, which thankfully limited the amount of attention drawn to him when he began to silently cry. It wasn't like there was any place he could tear up in private now, would he ever even have the luxury of privacy again? Where would he sleep? How could he get a job when he comes in smelling like the streets, dressing like a mess with absolutely no career experience? Would he even survive?

"Hey man, are you, uh, alright?" A male voice asked, concern filling his eyes as he stood in front of Lucas' table. 

Lucas slowly lifted his head and peered up at the tall man staring at him, feeling a wave of vulnerability surge through him.

"Yes, I'm fine." He snapped, his shoulders curling in as he tapped his foot nervously against the tile and sniffled. The man, who Lucas had assumed to be a worker from his uniform, didn't move a muscle. 

"I said I'm fine, go and get back to work or whatever please," Lucas begged. He wanted all the time he could get to figure out what he would do when closing hours came around and he would have to leave the café. It was already nine o'clock according to his father's watch, and the temperature outside was dropping with each passing hour.

"Alright," he hesistated, "just let me know if you need anything." He finished kindly before turning away to assist a woman at a nearby table. 

He had kind eyes, making Lucas want to try and trust him, but he knew he couldn't trust kind eyes anymore. Jackson had kind eyes at first too. 

With a sigh, Lucas began to search his jeans and jacket pockets for anything of use. He had ran out of the apartment with nothing but what was on him, meaning that the majority of his belongings still resided at Jackson's, a place he had no intention of returning to. He found an old gum wrapper and five Franc, along with his bus card in his left pocket.

He hesitated when he felt the cold metal of his apartment key brush against his fingers. Maybe he could sneak in during the night and apologize to Jackson in the morning, or just take his own stuff and money and then find a new place. As he weighed the options in his head and stressed himself out more and more, he began to take notice of the customers and workers slowly filing out of the café. He panicked flipped his wrist to read his watch, eyes fluttering wide in alarm. It was 9:15, and the shop was closing. Shit, shit, shit.

A winter night in Paris usually had a temperature below 20°F, and Lucas was dressed in only a thin jacket, vintage T-Shirt and mere black jeans. Fuck.

He began to panic, breathing quickly with a dazed expression as the front door opened and the chilled air from outside struck his trembling frame. He was going to freeze or starve or both. He had nowhere to go. He was going to live his life a beggar with no education, no family, no career. He couldn't go to Yann's or any of his friend's houses, they lived on the opposite side of town and of course he had left his phone at Jackson's. Fuck. Fuck. He felt his chest heave with each breath and he coughed, his eyes red and puffy within seconds. He could barely breathe. 

"Hey, hey, it's me again. Shh," a familiar voice spoke softly to him, sliding into the seat beside him while keeping his distance. Lucas glanced to the man and then back to his feet, struggling to form words, let alone inhale a proper breath. Black dots swam around the edges of his vision and somehow breathing became a chore. 

"It's okay, everything is going to be okay," the comforting stranger whispered, "let's breathe together, okay?" He suggested, his eyes focusing only on the boy in pain. Lucas nodded quickly.

"In one, two, three," he paused, "out one, two three four." 

"In one, two, three, four.. Out one, two, three, four, five."

He continued to repeat the counts until he was positive the brunette was breathing steadily once again, though his concern for him had skyrocketed since their previous encounter. He wondered why such a beautiful person was so hurt; he wondered why, he wondered how, and when, and his brain generated thousands of other questions he knew he couldn't bombard the stranger with but wished he could. He wanted to help, that was for sure.

"S-Sorry. But thank you." Lucas spoke after a few moments had passed. He didn't make eye contact, not wanting to see a look of uneasiness or discomfort wash over the worker's face.

"Of course," he replied, "I'm Eliott. And you are..?" Eliott asked, his tone significantly more upbeat than it had been only minutes ago. Lucas risked a quick look at Eliott before answering.

"Lucas." 

Eliott smiled lightheartedly, and Lucas was pleasantly surprised to not find pity or sympathy in Eliott's eyes. Little did he know that he was simply skilled at hiding his emotions when he knew it was necessary, and his concern for Lucas ceased to falter in the slightest.

"Nice to meet you, Lucas. I'd shake your hand but I feel like that's too corny."

The brunette rolled his eyes playfully and looked away, standing up from their table in the corner. The two were the only ones left in the café, and the room felt very empty all of a sudden. The common buzz of afternoon chatter had faded and the streets were noticeably less crowded through the windows. Lucas shuddered.

"Hey," Eliott began after noticing Lucas' distant expression. "Are you okay?"

The shorter of the two sighed and glimpsed at Eliott, shaking his head. "I just got.. I left my apartment. Permanently." He cringed at his own choice of words.

"And?"

"And what?" Lucas defended.

"Do you have a place to stay or not?"

Lucas paused and opened his mouth to speak but only silence escaped his lips, and then a tear, and then another, to which he desperately wiped away as if it would cause Eliott to unsee it. 

Eliott tugged gently at the loose sleeve of Lucas' jacket as he stepped forward, prompting him to follow alongside him as they exited the café. On his way out, Eliott flipped the "OPEN" sign around and used a small key to lock the door, effectively closing up the shop.

"W-What are you going to do?" Lucas sniffled, still trying to rid himself of any proof he was crying moments ago. He shifted on his toes as he felt the frozen wind bite at his skin. 

Eliott turned to peer at the short boy beside him, furrowing his brows. Did he really not trust him a tiny bit after having helped him through a panic attack?

"I'm taking you to my place." He stated.

"To do what..?"

"Jesus, Lucas. I'm not going to hurt you." 

Lucas' lips pressed into a tight line and he pulled at his fingers, a nervous habit. He was so frustrated at himself and the day behind him he wanted to sob and let all his emotions out, but he wouldn't, not yet, and not here. 

"Right. Sorry," he muttered, "and um, thanks."

Eliott was satisfied with 'thanks' being a small hint of progress, so they continued their walk in silence as much as he wanted to speak and listen to what the fragile stranger - possibly an acquaintance at this point - had to say. They strolled through the empty city, the only sounds being the occasional roar of a car engine and an overheard conversation or two. 

Eliott couldn't help but notice the way the streetlights perfectly displayed the angles and bone structure of Lucas' rather handsome face. His fingers itched to pull out a notepad and pencil to capture the complexity of his eyes, sketch each detail of his skin, each freckle, and each wispy brown strand of hair. 

Lucas noticed him staring and coughed not-so-subtly, Eliott instantly returning his gaze to the streets in front of them. He wasn't used to being looked at like that before, like he was something worth being admired.

"We're here." Eliott chimed, a smile resting upon his features as he turned to unlock the door to his apartment. He stepped inside, holding the door open for Lucas behind him.

"I know it's not that great, but I mean at least it's organized. I get really lonely sometimes so I draw and organize and read and.. yeah.” He shuts himself up before can go on to tell the boy his entire life story.

Lucas smiles at Eliott as he takes in the room around him. It's truly a home, he thinks to himself, noticing all the little gadgets and drawings scattered around the room. It's easy to tell this place is thrived in by the intricate knick knacks that scream ELLIOT in invisible ink. Lucas assumes he must be a fan of art, raccoons, music, and might even play piano judging by the keyboard in what looks to be his bedroom. 

"It's nice," Lucas comments genuinely, "I like it."

Eliott lets out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding and beckons Lucas to follow him towards the guest room, which is only a step away from his own. He pushes the door open and it creaks loudly, showing just how rarely the room is ever occupied. Fluffy pink sheets rest on a plush, new mattress, with wispy white curtains and fake plants lining the windowsill.

Eliott chuckles nervously. "Hope you don't mind the pink. My baby sister sleeps here whenever she visits so I customized it for her I guess."

Lucas finds himself smiling at the thought of Eliott shopping for all-things-pink at a furniture store for his sister. He can tell he's kind at heart, but also a little bit lonely. 

"I find it cute," Lucas confesses, "Do.. Do I get to sleep here?"

"Of course."

"What?" He sputters, "are you being serious?"

Disbelief was a severe underestimate for what Lucas was feeling. He couldn't imagine allowing a complete stranger to spend the night in his own home, so many things could go wrong and so little could go right. He had expected to receive maybe a granola bar or glass of water, but a bed to sleep on? This man was too nice, and he hated that he worried over the situation being too good to be true.

"Honestly, if this is just a joke and you want me to leave please tell me now because-"

"Lucas."

Eliott's tone was of stone, his expression as sincere as Lucas had seen it that entire night. He gulped.

"..Yes?"

Eliott sighed and left the room for a moment, returning as quick as he had left with a wadded bundle of pajamas in his hand.

"Please just make yourself comfortable. Here's a change of clothes," he offered, tossing the folded bundle of fabric to Lucas. "Try not to worry too much tonight, yeah? You're going to be alright."

Lucas nodded wordlessly and watched the door creak shut from across the room, still in shock from the generosity and seemingly huge heart of Eliott. He let himself fall on top of the bed, his limbs and mind aching from all his body had endured through the day.

"Goodnight, Eliott." He whispered, even though the door was shut and Eliott was probably in his room doing Eliott things. 

"Goodnight.”

And then he closed the door all the way.


	2. The Signs of Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life  
> /līf/ noun  
> 1\. the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.  
> "the origins of life"  
> synonyms: existence, being, living, animation, aliveness, animateness; More

The sound of metal pans clinging and eggs sizzling tugged Lucas out of his slumber, his eyes slowly adjusting to the natural light beaming through the thin curtains. With a yawn and a stretch he dragged himself out of bed, smiling to himself at the warm fuzzy feeling that resided in his brain.

He felt oddly safe in this apartment. It was the lack of broken bottles, torn sheets, soda spills and a cruel atmosphere that made him feel like he had made the right decision in agreeing to stay the night. 

His feet carried him around the room and he found himself admiring the details he hadn't taken the time to notice the day before. Pictures of Eliott and his young sister were stuck to the outside of the closet doors, along with ones of him and a girl around his age. Perhaps a girlfriend? Cousin?

He trailed his fingertips along the edges of the photos and the wall soothingly, simply relaxing and taking in the beautiful surroundings. He wasn't sure how long he strolled around lost in thought until a soft knock tapped against the door before gradually, and rather loudly, opening. Eliott visibly cringed at the sound, shaking his hands in displeasure.

"We really need to fix that door if you're going to stay here again."

Lucas nodded with a faint smile at the idea of staying another night in the cute complex. "Yeah, we do."

"Want some breakfast? I made eggs, sorry if it was loud. Sound travels like crazy in here." 

"Is that okay with you?" He hesitated. He felt he owed Eliott so much already, a meal would only add to the growing sensation of guilt blossoming in his chest, though his grumbling stomach certainly disagreed.

"Don't worry about it," Eliott replied, holding the door open for Lucas, "it's my pleasure."

The brunette felt his cheeks flush so he quickly slipped into the hallway before allowing Eliott to lead him to the kitchen. 

"Wow.. you really like raccoons." Lucas observed with a chuckle, taking notice of the countless raccoon related objects in the kitchen. Utensils, plates, napkins, and fridge magnets showed off the creature in various art styles.

Eliott playfully nudged his shoulder into Lucas' and moseyed into the kitchen, taking the two plates of food he had already prepared to the table.

"Sure do."

Lucas took a seat across from him and found himself practically drooling over the peppered eggs and orange juice. He hadn't had a proper, nutritious meal in almost a year.

"You look happy," Eliott commented, his lips quirking up. "I'm glad someone enjoys my cooking."

Lucas took a bite of his eggs and quickly drank his juice, subconsciously disregarding Eliott's words from being too focused on the meal in front of him. He finished within minutes, feeling rejuvenated straight away. He glanced towards Eliott's plate and saw that he hadn't even consumed half his meal yet, leading Lucas to flush in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry, I was just really hungry. Sorry. I promise I have better manners than this," he mumbled shamefully, scratching the back of his neck.

"I really don't care, dork. I get it." Eliott responded in all honesty. There was no reason for Lucas to feel ashamed, he likely would have gone without a meal altogether if it weren't for Eliott. He liked that the boy depended on him for his breakfast, as strange as it sounded. He liked that someone appreciated and recognized him for something and trusted him. 

Trust wasn't entirely foreign to Eliott, he trusted others easily whereas it seemed to be the opposite with Lucas. He wasn't sure why this was the case yet, but he hoped one day he'd be trusted with that information. If Lucas still wanted him around, of course, and that was a big "if".

"I can't thank you enough for this," Lucas blurted, breaking the silence. "I don't know where I would be right now if you hadn't brought me here. So thank you."

Eliott grinned a wide, genuine smile. Being excited over the small ways he helped others was probably a side effect of being lonely, he figured. But it didn't make the compliment any less rewarding.

"You're welcome to stay here as long as you like, I live alone anyway."

"Are you sure? Wasn't that your sister's room? I don't want to be in the way if she um, visits or anything."

Eliott sighed, raw emotion flashing in his eyes before disappearing in a fraction of a second.

"She doesn't really come that often, it's fine."

Lucas nodded in understanding, wiping his lips with a raccoon napkin before reaching to take Eliott's empty plate. 

"You don't have to-"

"Let me do this, please." He interrupted, his tone nonabrasive yet sincere. Eliott smiled and nodded his head in response, watching as Lucas cheerily brought their dishes to the sink.

He scrubbed each platter, cup and utensil spotless twice, unaware of the gaze lingering upon him. Lucas was the kind of person to get lost in a single task and divert all attention to it, no matter how important or insignificant. 

He hummed as he cleaned and even washed spare dishes in the sink, eventually putting them to bed in the cabinets lined above the counter. Eliott wasn't exactly messy, but he hadn't ever cleaned anything as purposefully as Lucas just had in his entire life. 

"Wow," he chimed, "you can definitely stick around here."

Lucas' eyes gleamed in the light. "Do you mean that?"

"Mean what?"

Lucas swallowed the words before they poured out, a little displeased at himself for requesting such a large favor.

"That I can.. stay here."

"Yes."

"For.. a while?"

"Yes."

God, Lucas wanted so badly to jump into Eliott's arms right then and there because words couldn't possibly express his gratitude any further. So he did.

Eliott laughed wholeheartedly and scooped up Lucas as soon as he ran at him, both boys grinning madly and holding each other like it was the only thing that mattered.

"Thank you, thank you so.." Lucas choked, wiping away tears of happiness as the waterworks began pouring. "Thank you so much."

Eliott shushed him and swayed side to side, his hands gently patting the shorter one's back. 

The fondness of another person in your arms is such a unique feeling, and Eliott found himself craving more of it when Lucas slowly leaned out of the hug. He didn't seem like a touchy-huggy kind of guy, and judging by the look on his face, even he was surprised at his actions. 

"This is crazy. Actually crazy." Lucas laughed.

"In a good way, I hope."

"Definitely a good way," he hummed.

Eliott looked around his apartment before returning his gaze to Lucas, his lips quirking up. "I haven't given you a tour yet, have I?"

Lucas shook his head, tucking his hands into the pocket's of his - or Eliott's - pajama pants. They'd definitely have to come up with a clothing situation sometime soon, and Lucas wasn't looking forward to it. 

"Follow me, then," he continued, waving Lucas along into the living room.

"This is the chill room, it's got a couch, TV, all that jazz."

The room was cozy and inviting, and the first thing Lucas noticed was how different it was from Jackson's flat, be it the atmosphere or organization. Drawings of random things and creatures were pinned all across the walls with an occasional photo in the mix. Lucas made a note to visit each and every piece of art sometime, he already was mystified by the creativity of his roommate.

Eliott then pointed to a soft forest green recliner with a smile, "There's my chair, and the one across from it can be yours now." Eliott spoke, glancing behind him at an intrigued Lucas.

"I still can't believe this is happening," he exclaimed, his voice so quiet it was barely above the volume of a whisper.

"And I can't believe you agreed to stay," Eliott replied. Lucas looked at him in confusion.

"Why's that?"

"I don't know, you don't seem like you came from a good home when I met you, or wherever you were staying. I'm surprised you trusted me after that."

Lucas paused after hearing the words drip from Eliott's lips like honey. He found his tone of voice quite beautiful, which proved a little distracting when trying to comprehend what he was talking about. He coughed. "I mean, you aren't wrong."

"I hate to spoil the mood, but do you want to talk about what happened? Before I found you at the café." Eliott asked, nothing but curiosity and a bit of concern in his intentions.

Lucas considered his options. He could get the explanation out of the way and risk Eliott kicking him out too, or try and befriend him so he was less likely to do so when hearing the true story. Logically, he decided on the latter.

"Um," he gulped, "another time, maybe?"

Eliott quickly nodded in understanding, though he of course was a little disappointed. Trust takes time for most people, he knew he'd have to come to terms with that.

"That’s perfectly fine," he assured. "Time to continue this lovely tour!" Eliott exclaimed with an enthusiastic clap of his hands, successfully lowering the tension.

The two walked out of the living room, and past the kitchen, all the way to the door beside the guest room/Lucas' room. 

"Voilá, my bedroom." Eliott revealed, pushing the door open. Lucas had gotten a glimpse of the room earlier, but now that he was inside it, he was at a loss for words.

Maybe it was because Lucas had never been inside a room as lived in as this one, not even when in his own, or perhaps because there was a piano pushed against the wall of all things, but he was at a loss for words.

Home was the first word that came to mind when he first entered. Home was the messy sheets and half empty water glass on the nightstand, it was the ruffled pillow and discolored wood that showcased the effects of time and life.

Lucas had never really had a home before, but maybe he could visit this one every so often.

“You okay?” Eliott inquired, not sure what to make of the silence that had grown between them. Little did he know that Lucas’ mind was running wild with positive chatter.

Lucas simply smiled in response and returned his focus to the tall boy. “Oh yes, yes I am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, reader. Thanks for sticking til the end of chapter two. I’m not sure how long this story will turn out to be, but I’m hoping at least five chapters around this length. Have a nice rest of your day!

**Author's Note:**

> My goal is to make this book as realistic as possible in the sense it will take time for Lucas to trust someone again, and they aren’t magically going to fall in love the second they meet. 
> 
> If you have any ideas for future chapters, feel free to comment them! I’d love to shape the story around what you guys would want to see, but still surprise you of course. (:


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